Author's Note: Hey, look! Another chapter! :-D If you're still sticking with the story: you rock! And please let me know my reviewing…
Chapter 17: The Watcher's Diary of Ms. Ashley Nelson
Entry # 15
June 1, 1998
Upon reaching our destination in Missouri we discovered a horrid heat wave in the area. It was unfortunate and proved to be yet another disadvantage. The vampire we were searching for had taken up residence in a bayou fifteen miles south of our hotel. After I took Faith on a few more nights of field training, in which she surpassed my expectations, we traveled by rental car to the small town of Nixa.
On the hunt, Faith took her crossbow (she has amazing aim) and hid three stakes within the folds of her clothing. Two on her legs and one near her waist. She complained about the awkward placing of her weapons, but she grew used to it after only half an hour. She adapts quickly.
At 11:32 we found the shack in which the creature lived. Our sources had warned us that he kept various animals as pets, including an infamous alligator reported to be at least 15 feet, two feet above the average size of an adult alligator. Faith walked quietly up to the window to peer inside and reported to me that there were at least nine vampires within the tiny shack. Highly outnumbered, we returned to our hotel to plan out our next move.
The next night we took with us a novelty toy I had purchased at the hotel gift shop for an overpriced fee of $3.99. When blown into, it makes a noise akin to a duck's call.
A hundred yards from the shack, I used the toy to create what, in the bayou, was a strange noise. As we had hoped, one vampire came to investigate the sound and Faith overtook him. He was a strong vampire, but she bested him without even getting close to him. While he pushed his way through a particularly dense area of plants, she hid in a nearby tree and shot him with the crossbow. She contacted the heart on her first try.
We repeated this procedure for a week until one night when no vampires came to investigate the noise. We retreated back to the hotel at sunrise.
The next night, Faith once again spied on the vampire in his shack. From his description, we knew it was our target. He was about six feet tall, had dark unruly hair and dark eyes, was slightly overweight, and had a tattoo of an alligator on his left arm. Inadvertently, Faith knocked over a chair outside the shack and made somewhat of a clamor.
The vampire found Faith crouching outside, but chose not to fight her. For some reason, he did not realize she was a slayer. Instead, he threw her into the marsh as food for her alligator. Not to be taken out so easily, Faith fought with the alligator on the shore of the marsh. After a few close calls, she stabbed it with her stake and it slowly bled to death. The vampire, who had just returned to notice his alligator has been killed, was furious and confused. He inhaled deeply, smelling Faith's blood (she had been cut by the jaws of the alligator and her arm was in need of repair) and realized that she was the Chosen One. Intelligently, Faith ran. She was in no shape to fight the vampire that night.
We returned to the bayou a few nights later when Faith's arm was completely healed. She now carried five stakes, her crossbow on her back, and a battle-axe in her right hand. Bravely, and maybe a little arrogantly, she marched right into the shack and before the vampire knew what had happened, she used her battle-axe to decapitate him before he could stand from his chair. I had expected a bit more of a fight from such a highly feared vampire, but I was nonetheless proud of my slayer.
I plan to delay our return to Boston for a week or two. I think it is better to have Faith practice and train here, without distractions or interferences. She is progressing wonderfully and I do not want to inhibit her growth as a slayer.